Armored hood for automobiles.



J. CHISKO ARMORED HOOD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB 12. 1915.

1,1 47,607. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

]. CHISKO.

ARMORED HOOD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPUCATION man FEB. 12. 1915.

Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS SHEET 2- JOHN CHISKO, OF WAYMART, PENNSYLVANIA.

ARMORED HOOD FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 20, 1915.

Application filedlebruary 12, 1915. Serial K0. 7,833.

T9 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CHISKO, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVaymart, in the county of Wayne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Armored Hoods for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to armored vehicles designed particularly for use in carrying motive power and the gunner and mechanician protected from the enemys fire.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of an armored hood adapted to be supported upon the chassis of a highly powered motor car and capable of vertical adjustment whereby the hood may be quickly lowered to the ground when the machine is stationary, and maintained at any desired degree of elevation while the car is in motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a traveling armored car or vehicle, provided with its own motive power, and forming an armored ambulant inclosure for the gunner, driver or mechanician, and which supports one or more rapid firing guns which may be adjusted to a position for use and withdrawn to a protected position within the hood when not in use, the construction of the vehicle allowing advances tov be made against the enemy in the field or in trenches while the guns are maintained in action without exposing the gunner or driver.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the invention residing in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings forming part of this application like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Fi 4: is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view.

Referring more particularly to the drawing 5 indicates generally a motor vehicle of usual construction. In carrying out my invention, the vehicle embodies an armored hood 6 preferably constructed of strong sheet metal, its contour being similar to a huge turtle back shell, while the sloping sides tend to deflect the bullets or other projectiles out of their path of travel, thus protecting the car to a determined degree. The construction and arrangement of the hood define a protected compartment 7 for the gunner, motor 8, fuel tank 9, and the ammunition, etc. The hood is provided with an opening 10 through which a gun deck or platform 11 is adapted to be projected for use, the deck or platform supporting a rotary carriage 12 upon which may be mounted one or more rapid firing guns 13, which are projected for use when the deck is elevated and disappear or drop down within the hood and are concealed when the deck is lowered. Suitable gearing 14 is provided for raisin and lowering the deck, the latter being locked by means of the cam 14 in any desired position of adjustment, the opening being normally closed by a door 15. Suitable means may be employed for turning the rotary carriage 12 from within the machine whereby the guns may be turned at an angle for use without the necessity of exposing the gunner.

To enable the driver to see in guiding the machine and locating the enemy, I employ an instrument lmown as the periscope. The instrument consists of a tube 16 of suitable length having a sight opening 18 adjacent the upper end thereof. Arranged within the tube directly in the rear of the opening is a mirror 19, disposed at the proper inclination to reflect the image in advance of the sight. opening, upon a sec- 0nd mirror arranged in the lower end of the 1 tube, from which it is observed by the driver. As shown the periscope projects through a restricted opening in the top or. the hood, being vertically adjustable in the collar 20 and held in any desired adjusted position by means of the set screw 21. The collar is rotatably mounted in the restricted opening of the hood, so that when the collar The tube is preferably made in two carried in the machine for instance in the compartments 22 at the front and rear end of the hood, and wherein water and provisions may also be stored. A series of hooklike wire cutting elements 23 are secured to the outer surface of the hood, to prevent wire entanglements. A door 24: is also provided to permit ingress and egress to the machine.

The hood 6 is supported upon the chassis 25 for vertical adjustment, so that the hood may be lowered to the ground with' a view of wholly protecting the various parts .of the machine, when fighting therefrom, while the machine is stationary. To-this end suitable brackets 26 are secured to the longitudinal edges of the chassis adjacent each of the four corners thereof, for the reception of the uprights 27 which latter are adjustably mounted therein, and support the hood 6. Each of the uprights 27 has a rack surface 28 for meshing engagement with the gear wheels 29 carried on the opposite ends of the longitudinally disposed shafts 30, the latter being arranged at the opposite sides of the machine. Fixed upon each of the shafts 30 is a bevel gear 31 operatively associated with a similar gear 32 fixed on the opposite ends of a transversely disposed shaft 33, whereby the shafts 30 are rotated upon rotation of the shaft 33, thereby raising or lowering the hood as the case may be. A pivoted lever 34 is arranged in convenient reach of the driver of the machine, and has secured to its lower end a ratchet wheel 35 adapted to coiiperate with a gear 36 fixed upon the shaft 33, whereby rotary movement'is imparted to the latter when the lever is oscillated, the ratchet wheel being provided with the usual pawl 37.

Pivoted to the floor of the machine is a spring pressed foot operated dog 38 normally engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel 35 to lock the shaft 33 against retrograde movement thereby maintaining the hood at any desired degree of elevation.

It is of course to be understood, that the hood is maintained in elevated position, only when the machine is in motion, as for instance when charges or advances are being made against the enemy, so that the hood will clear any obstructions disposed the path of travel of the machine, as well as to permit the machine to travel speedily over irregular surfaces. But for stationary fighting the hood is lowered to the ground. In lowering the hood it is only necessary to depress the foot operated dog 38, moving the latter out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 35, whereupon the various shafts are free to rotate, and the hood under its own weight will instantaneously gravitate to its lowered adjusted position.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that a car or traveling military vehicle is providedwithin which a gimner.

and operator may be contained and protected, and which carries one or more rapid firing guns which may be used without the gunner exposing himself. A vehicle of this kind is especially valuablein warfare for use as an armored road vehicle capable of traveling in anydirection, or as a means by which the enemy in the field or entrenched may be charged and subjected to fire from a concealed and protected crew. A number of these vehicles running at a desired speed at certain intervals apart and keeping upa heavy fire as they advance toward the enemy will serve as an eflicient attacking force without the necessity of employing a large body of men. Whenever necessary the guns may be lowered to protect them from the fire of the enemy, as in the travel of the vehicle to a certain position for opening fire, during retreat, or when the gun mechanism is temporarily-out of order and requires repair.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form or embodiment of the invention I desire to have it understood that such various changes in the construction and arrangement of parts may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of the apthe rack surfaces of said uprights to adjust the latter upon rotation of the shafts, and

means for rotating said shafts.-

2. A motor vehicle for military service comprising a wheeled frame with its driv- 1ng parts, rack bars mounted on the opposite sides of the frame for vertical adjustment, an armored hood supported by said rack bars, longitudinally disposed shafts at the opposite sides of the frame, gears at both ends of the shafts for meshing engagement with said bars for adjusting the latter upon rotation of said shafts, an intermediate gear fixed upon each of said shafts, a

transverse shaft having gears at both ends for operative association with the intermediate gears, and means for rotating said transverse shafts.

3. A motor vehicle for military service comprising a wheeled frame with its drivingparts, rack bars mounted on the opposite sides of the frame for vertical adjustment, an armored hood supported by'said rack bars and defining a protected compartment for the crew, longitudinally disposed shafts at the opposite sides of the frame,

gears at the opposite ends of said shafts for meshing engagement with said rack bars for adjusting the latter upon rotation of said shafts, a transversely disposed shaft, beveled gear connections between the longitudinally disposed shafts and said transverse shaft, a ratchet wheel fixed upon saidtransverse shaft, a lever, and a pawl carried by the lever for engagement with the ratchet wheel for rotatlng said transverse shaft when the lever is oscillated, whereby rotary movement is imparted to said longitudirfilalily disposed shafts for the purpose specii. A motor vehicle for military service comprising a wheeled frame with its driving parts, rack bars mounted on the opposite sides of the frame for vertical ad ustment, an armored hood supported on said rack bars and defining a protected COIIlPfiIt-r ment for the crew, shafts at the opposite sides of the frame, gears carried at both ends of the shafts for meshing enga ement o with the rack bars, a transverse sha t, beveled gearponnections between the first mentioned shafts and said transverse shaft, a

ratchet wheel fixed upon said transverse shaft, a lever, a pawl carried by the lever for engagement with the ratchet wheel for rotating the transverse shaft when the lever is oscillated, whereby rotation is imparted to the first mentioned shafts for'adjusting said rack bars, and a foot operated dog normally engaging the teeth of said ratchet wheel to lock said shafts against retrograde movement thereby holding said hood in adjusted position.

5. A motor vehicle for military service comprising a frame with its driving parts, an armored hood supported upon said frame for vertical adjustment, said hood having an opening in the top thereof, a gun deck adjustably mounted within the hood and adapted to be projected through said opening, means for locking said deck in elevated position, a collar rotatably mounted within an opening in the top of said hood, a periscope tube adjustable through the collar and said top of the hood, and mounted for rotation within said hood, and means for looking said tube in fixed relation with said collar in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN OHISKO.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM H. JoHNsoN, MARGARET S. STANTON. 

